"And then he decided that this all meant that our starting to date, or whatever it was going to be, had to be manufactured, so he said something about how he's liked me since we were 13 but for some reason he didn't want to stick around and test that out, and then he was gone."

Luna cocked her head to the side and inspected Harry. It was three days after Draco had left, and now, Luna and Harry were seated at the kitchen table in the house Luna had recently purchased with Neville, who was at Hogwarts, tending the greenhouses while Professor Sprout took a holiday in Borneo—lots of plants there, Neville had told Harry before he went to the castle. After Neville left, Luna had informed Harry that as soon as Sprout retired, Neville would be taking over her post, and that suited Luna, who was working at Flourish & Blotts but only part time, just fine.

"So the fan fiction couples broke up after 60 days, then?" Luna looked thoughtful, or that could just be her natural expression. Harry could never quite tell with her. "That's unfortunate. You all seemed happy."

"We weren't. You were, though. Are."

"Yes, but we're not a fan fiction couple, are we?" Luna twisted her engagement ring, which she'd gotten from Neville three weeks before, and smiled.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"Neville and I have been together since the war ended. Did no one notice?"

"What?" Harry blinked at Luna several times in utter disbelief.

"Well, I suppose Neville was keeping it quiet, wasn't he? So was I, at his request. I'm an exhibitionist by nature, though, and when everyone else was being so forthcoming, so amorous with their chosen partners..." Luna's smile turned dreamier than ever. "Well, then Neville was much more compliant. And after that, we both thought we might as well go public." She paused. "Just with less snogging on the common room floor."

"Right. So. Not a fan fiction couple."

"Nope."

"So how do I prove that Draco and I would be like you two?"

"Well, you're not," said Luna. "We were together already. That's what makes this hard for him, I suppose. I was wondering, Harry, why come to me about this?"

"You were the obvious choice," Harry said. "Ron is Ron—"

Luna nodded knowingly. "Right. No conception of emotions."

"Hermione dated him, George dated me and probably doesn't want to hear that I already fancy someone else and have for weeks, and, well, you're the nicest person I know, aren't you?"

"Probably."

"And you seem to understand that Draco's not really a bad guy."

"He's apologized to me, but he didn't need to. It wasn't him keeping us in the cellar. And he brought us soft cheese and warm bread sometimes."

"Only you could sound as though you miss being tortured."

"It wasn't torture, just imprisonment," said Luna. "What do you think you should do?"

"I don't know. Words aren't working."

"Have you tried pictures?"

Harry gaped at Luna.

"Write it out for him," she said. "The Apothecary has a white board with lots of colorful markers in its back room." Harry thought it best not to ask how Luna knew that. "Show him. Write out your relationship with George, maybe his with Hermione, Ron's with Oliver, mine with Neville. Then show him what yours would be."

"And you think that would work?"

"I don't know. It might work on me. It'd certainly work on Neville."

"Why would you say that?" This time Harry's curiosity got the best of him.

"Because I had to draw pictures for him to understand why it was a good idea to have sex two dates in."

"Wait. Are you sure Neville is actually a man?"

Luna tittered. "Yes, I'm quite sure, having seen all of him. But he's very nervous sometimes, and very polite, and sometimes he needs a push in the right direction. And maybe Draco does, too."

"You're really great, Luna," said Harry. "You know that, right?"

"I've been told that, but no one can ever really believe that about themselves, can they? I bet you don't even think you're great in spite of all the evidence."

"What evidence?"

She smiled. "That's what I mean."

"Well. Anyway. Thanks, Luna. Can I get you lunch or something?"

"You're that eager to get over to Diagon Alley?"

Harry laughed weakly. "You know me."

"Well, I am scheduled to work this afternoon, so I suppose it wouldn't hurt to already be there. Have you been to Lee Jordan's new restaurant yet?"

"Can't say I have."

"Then we'll go there, you'll get me something with beets and feta cheese in it, and then we'll see if Draco is working. Does that sound good to you?"

"It sounds great to me."

Though Harry couldn't quite grasp the appeal of warm beet salad with a side of feta-infused bread, his own meal of spinach pie and soda bread had him well and convinced that Luna's suggestion was a good one. And it didn't cost them anything, since Lee was in the kitchen and grinned from ear to ear, proclaiming loudly, "Harry Potter's eating in my restaurant!" before giving Harry and Luna their orders on the house.

"This means I still owe you, then," said Harry as he finished the last nibbles of his treacle tart.

"Only if things work out," Luna said smoothly. "And they will. So yes, I suppose you do. Do you remember where the Apothecary is, or should I walk with you?"

"It might be worth you walking with me just to make sure I don't panic and run out."

Luna nodded and the two of them walked three blocks over to the typically foul smelling shop where Draco worked. Upon opening the door, Harry realized that it didn't smell so bad anymore. It smelled quite good, actually, like a combination of cider and springtime breezes and that woody scent Draco seemed to carry with him...

"That's Amortentia, don't you think?" Luna asked, breathing in deeply. "What does it smell like to you?"

"Hard cider and spring," said Harry, leaving off the Draco part. "You?"

"Neville," she said simply. "Oh, and I suppose there's a hint of strawberries. Hello, Draco!"

Harry looked up from the unicorn horns he'd been fixated on to see Draco, Draco with narrowed eyes and a scowl on his face. Neither his eyes nor his scowl were directed toward Luna.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked. "Lovegood—Luna—you're fine. I mean him."

"Harry had something to show you," said Luna, sounding breezy as ever. "I need to go over to Flourish & Blotts now. Bye, Harry." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Nice to see you, Draco." Draco nodded at her as she turned on her heel and half-skipped away.

"Something to show me, then?" Draco's voice was soft, but not gentle.

"Yes," said Harry, trying to sound more confident than he was, which was not at all. "I—can we go into the back room?"

"Why?"

"Something to show you. And I need the board."

"How do you know about the board?"

"I know about the board because Luna knows about the board."

"And how does she—" Draco shook his head. "Never mind. Fine. OK. Just don't get rid of what's on there."

"I know a spell," said Harry. "Lead on."